Ladder-round support.



W. J. LA FLEUR:

LADDER BOUND SUPPORT.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 5, 1907.

954,81 3. Patented Apr. 12,1910.

W/TNESSES 7 /NVE TOR W\M6L M 6/ 1 A TTOHNEYS UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

WILLIAM J. LA FLEUR, OF NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

LADDER-ROUND SUPPORT.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TVILLIAM J. LA FLEUR, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Northampton, in the county of Hampshire andState of Massachusetts,have invented a new and useful Ladder-RoundSupport, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in devices designed to be attachedto ladders for the purpose of supporting the rounds of the same at theirpoints of junction with the side pieces or rails, and consists of a bodypart provided with upwardly-extending side pieces to form a stirrup forthe round, and with a downwardly-extending shank adapted to be fastenedto the rail, all as hereinafter set forth.

Although ladder rounds very seldom break in or near the center, they arequite liable to break adjacent to the rails of the ladder, such pointsbeing the weakest, and the object of my invention is to provide astrong, durable, simple, and inexpensive device which is adapted to beeasily, quickly, and securely fastened to a ladder rail beneath thatportion of a round which is contiguous to said rail and to thus supportsaid round at one of its weakest points. Usually one of these supportsis employed at each end of each round, but they may, of course, be usedonly where there are signs of weakness in the rounds. I attain thisobject by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-F i re 1 is a view showing portions of both rails and one round of aladder with two of my supports in position, one of the rails and one ofthe supports being in section; Fig. 2, an enlarged front elevation ofthe support shown in the preceding view; Fig. 3, an enlarged rearelevation of said support, and, Fig. 4, a perspective View of a skeletonsupport constructed out of wire.

Similar figures refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The device shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 consists of a body 5 from the upperpart of which extend two cars or side pieces 6 to form a stirrup 7 andfrom the lower part of which extends a shank 8 having a hole 13 therein.The stirrup 7 is substantially semi- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 5, 1907.

Patented Apr. 12, 1910.

Serial No. 391,418.

circular to accommodate the round against the lower side of which saidstirrup isto be placed. The back of the support, which bears against theinside face of the ladder rail to which said support is attached when inplace, is flat except for two spurs 14. In practice, this device isplaced against the inside face of a ladder rail below the round to besupported and brought up snugly against said round, and then it issecured by means of a nail or screw inserted in the hole 13, after firstdriving the spurs 14 into said rail. The end of the round so supportedis practically insured against breaking, and with supports at both endswill last under ordinary conditions until literally worn out.

Although the presence of the spurs 14 is not imperative, when employedthey are serviceable in holding the support in place while the screw 10is being inserted, and they take some of the strain which otherwisewould fall on said screw, thus enabling a shorter or lighter screw to beused. More or less than two spurs 14 may be provided, and the same istrue concerning the prongs described below.

In the first view 99 represent the rails of a ladder to which two of mysupports are fastened by screws assisted by the spurs 14, one of thescrews appearing at 10, and 11 represents the round which said supportsare intended to strengthen.

The support illustrated in the last View is made of a single piece ofwire bent to bring into existence substantially the same elements asbefore, there being, however, two prongs 12 in place of the spurs 14.The prongs 12 extend to the rear and are to be driven into the ladderrail, for the purpose of holding the support in place beneath a round,in lieu of a screw and the spurs 14. This skeleton support is cheaperperhaps than the solid support, and can be attached to the ladder withsomewhat less trouble possibly, although care must be exercised whiledriving the prongs 12 into the rail, by striking the bases of saidprongs with a hammer, that the stirrup 7 does not bear away from theround against which it has been placed, but is left in contact therewithwhen the back of the support is tight against said rail.

Either style of the support is equal to the ing below such part, theterminals of such lb other so far as general elficiency and utility Wirebeing bent rearwardly and projecting are concerned. back of said shankin the shape of prongs What I clalrn as my lnventlon, and desn'e forfastening the support 111 posltlon.

} to secure by Letters Patent is- As a new article of manufacture,aladder VILLIAM LA FLEUR' round support consisting of a Wire bent toWitnesses: form a body part with stirrup-forming ears F. A. CUTTER,

rislng from such part and a shank extend- ALFRED C. FAIRBANKS.

